READERS: a quick little note, just b/c I don't mention something happening, doesn't mean that I took it out of my story. I just either didn't think about it, or I didn't want it there... Thanks for the comments! I will be updating HOPEFULLY every weekend, but I am in eighth grade and play softball for my school, so I might have projects or practices to do. I will take suggestions! If you want me to tweak a chapter, I will be willing, but you have to give me an idea. ENJOY!

"I said he was crazy to think I'd ever like him and that he was insane to think that I'd ever want him. I told him to get away from me. Then… then he pulled out his knife and held it against my throat. I couldn't move because if I had, it would have sliced my neck and I wouldn't be here. And then he forced me to kiss him and do other things. It was terrible! It was demeaning and embarrassing! How could I have let that low-life do that to me!? And the worst part, I had seen and heard a girl looking at us and she had heard my yells of pain, and she didn't even help me or say anything! She just stood there!" At this I felt hot wetness on my face. It was tears again. I was blubbering right in front of Tarrant! He once again pulled me onto his lap. This time he held me harder and stroked my curly blonde hair and kissed my cheeks. His eyes were a smoldering red. He began rambling like the mad man I had grown to… love.

"My sweet Alice! Ah'm sorry Ah weren't there for ye! Aye, Ah'm sorry the lass didn't help ye! When Ah see him… Oh me Alice! Ah'm sorry!"

"It's okay Tarrant," I managed to say through my crying. "It's-not-your-fault. Please calm-down…" I sobbed. When he saw I was trying my hardest to calm down, and he saw I was trying to get him calmed down, his eyes turned to a green that was close to his regular green color, but there were still specks of red and orange. I was still crying and I started to gasp for air. He hugged me tighter to his chest. I tucked my head into his chin, and he held me even tighter. He managed to stop my erratic shaking. I ran out of tears, but I was still sobbing.

"I still want you Alice. I still desire you. I just hate the blasted Knave even more! I hate how much pain he caused you. I think- I think-I thought-I know… I… think-I feel" he was stumbling on his words. He couldn't find the words he was looking for, which probably meant they were important.

"Tarrant!"

"Oh! Right! I'm sorry. I… couldn't find the right words."

"I wanted you to be my first. I wouldn't feel disgusted with myself if it had been you. I had closed my eyes and tried to imagine that he was you while he was doing it to me… but it didn't work. I knew that you wouldn't have been so rough with me… Tarrant… I think I'm… in love with you. Actually, I KNOW that I'm in love with you!" At that, he kissed me. He kissed me eagerly, and I kissed him back just as eagerly. Then, I felt something new in my mouth. It was his tongue! We had never kissed like this before! And I felt something on the small of my back, sinking slowly lower and lower; it was the Hatter's hands. I don't remember making the decision, but I climbed on top of him and sat with my legs on either side of him. I ran my fingers over the front of his jacket and shirt. I felt his chest heaving with his every breath. My hands got tangled in his shirt and I was puling him closer to me. He was rubbing my arms, holding on to me by the small of my back, pulling me closer to him. Eventually, our bodies were right against each other. And I knew that I could stay like this forever. We could do this over and over again and I'd still get goose bumps and start to blush and feel his hot body against mine. I would still feel the adrenaline.

"Alice! Alice, where are you!? I need to speak with you! I thought you were going to come see me at eleven o'clock," I heard the White Queen calling for me. I slowly drew back from the kiss, with my eyes still closed, trying to keep the moment alive and savor it while I could. I sat on his lap for a few more moments. As I started to get off him, he grabbed my arm, gently; as if pleading with me to stay and ignore the Queen. I slid my arm out of his grasp, and then grabbed his hand as he hung his head in disappointment and sadness. I leaned my face closer to his and brushed my lips against the outline of his jaw and whispered in his ear,

"I love you Tarrant. We are infinite."

"I-I love you too, Alice. You are the world to me," he sighed into my ear, then kissed it, then ran his soft pink lips down my jaw until he reached my lips and then kissed me ever so softly that it was like a very quiet whisper on my lips. Then, I left to find the Queen.

"Ah! There you are my Little Champion! And how are you this fine morning?"

"I am well my Queen. And how are you?"

"Please call me Mirana dear. It is my given name."

"Alright Mirana. That's such a nice name. I'm sorry I wasn't at breakfast this morning. I just wasn't very hungry and I needed some alone time."

"I understand perfectly Alice. Are you pondering on whether to go home or not?"

"Yes, in fact I am. I just need to let my family know that I'm alive and fine. How did you know I was thinking about going back?"

"Well, any sensible person who has been away from their family and is in a weird place to them would want to go back. We will miss you terribly if you decide to leave us. I know the Hatter will be especially sad," she replied as she led me back into the castle and into the parlor where there was tea waiting for us.

"How do you know, Mirana?" I inquired in shock at her mention of Tarrant.

"Know what, my dear Champion?"

"About… about um… me and Tarrant."

"Know what about you two?" she asked inquisitively.

"Nothing; never mind that I asked," I said, trying to get her off the subject. We sat in the parlor for a minute or so in complete silence.

"The Frabjous Day is tomorrow."